First Son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has announced that he will meet with the sons of former presidents of Uganda.
Muhoozi has appointed a committee chaired by Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze to organise the meeting. Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka and Minister of State for Children and Youth Affairs, Balaam Barugahara, are also part of the organising committee for what the CDF termed a “historic meeting!”
But who are these First Sons, and what are they doing?
Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II
Although Prince Kiweewa Luswata is the firstborn son of Kabaka Edward Muteesa II, Uganda’s first president, the reigning Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Mutebi II, is the most prominent of all Muteesa’s sons. Lady Sarah Nalule is Mutebi’s mother.
Following the death of his father in 1969, Mutebi was selected as Head of the Royal House of Buganda. However, he was enthroned as Kabaka in 1993 when cultural institutions were restored.
Jimmy Akena
Jimmy Akena is the son of two-time former president Milton Obote (1967–1971 and 1980–1985). He lived with his father in exile in Zambia after Obote was deposed in a coup by Idi Amin. Akena currently leads the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), a political party founded by his father.
In the 2016 general elections, he surprised many by reportedly forming an alliance with President Museveni. Akena is the current MP for Lira Municipality. His wife, Betty Amongi, serves as the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
Taban Amin
Idi Amin’s polygamous relationships resulted in over 30 known children, and Taban Amin is among them. He has ties to the current ruling party and previously served as Deputy Director of the External Security Organisation. In 2016, his son, Taban Amin Jr., won a parliamentary seat on the NRM ticket.
Wasswa Lule
Wasswa Lule, son of the late Yusuf Lule, has played various political roles during President Museveni’s era. He served as Member of Parliament for Lubaga North and briefly held the position of Deputy Inspector General of Government before being dismissed. Currently, he features on different media platforms as a political analyst.
His brother Kato Lule is rumoured to be a pharmacist in the United Kingdom, while another brother, Fred Kironde Lule, is self-employed in the same country.
Henry Okello Oryem
Henry Okello Oryem, son of former president Tito Okello Lutwa, has maintained a close relationship with the regime’s inner circle. He is a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and has served in President Museveni’s cabinet, primarily as State Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2001.
Francis Birungi Binaisa
Francis Birungi Binaisa, one of the known sons of former Ugandan president Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa, is currently serving a prison sentence at Luzira Prison. He was convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison for aggravated defilement in 2012.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the firstborn son of President Yoweri Museveni and Janet Museveni, has pursued a military career. He has risen through the ranks, serving as Commander of the Special Forces and Commander of Land Forces. Currently, he is a four-star general—the highest rank in the Ugandan army—and serves as the Commander of Defence Forces (CDF). He is also the Senior Presidential Adviser for Special Operations.
